Temperature elevation during knee arthroplasty.

The temperature in the tibia and in the saw blade were recorded during 30 knee arthroplasty operations. In the saw blade the median maximum temperature was 68 degrees C (45-100 degrees C). The corresponding bone temperatures at two levels approximately 2 and 3 mm below the cutting surface were 47 degrees C and 42 degrees C, respectively. Irrigation of the saw area with physiologic saline solution had only a minimal effect. During the cement-curing process, the temperature was 37 degrees C (31-50 degrees C) at the cement-bone interface. We conclude that the cutting procedure generates heat above the critical temperature for bone necrosis that may harm prosthetic fixation, notably for bone ingrowth.